


From the Outside In: Andromeda Black

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, First War with Voldemort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 10:49:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15193160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A collection of moments during wartime.For the marauderseranetwork July event → Andromeda Tonks





	From the Outside In: Andromeda Black

**December 1971.**

Andromeda wished her family was as romantic as one might think since they named their children after the night sky. No, they were all evil and did everything they could to make sure their pureblood line was saved. They were now aligning themselves with Voldemort, it seemed. Andromeda needed to get away from all of that. She had a plan and since she was Andromeda, she would make it happen.

“Andi! Andi!” She heard Sirius call after her as she made her way down the hallway towards the Great Hall. She wasn’t heading there, just going in that direction. She tried very hard not to roll her eyes as her little cousin came trailing after her. She loved Sirius. She always had a special connection with him. She saw his rebellious side. That was something that ran in both of them that the Black genes couldn’t contain. It was the same reason why Uncle Al was burned off the family tapestry.

“What is it, Sirius?”

“I—Merlin, you walk fast.” He said huffing and puffing.

Laughing, Andromeda sat on the windowsill and waited for her cousin to talk. Sirius was in his first year while she was in her last at Hogwarts. In reality, they probably weren’t going to see one another again after she finished school. Andromeda had her plans to get away from the family, which included, for now, her favorite cousin. She hoped that she’d be taken off the tapestry too.

Sirius was going to be right with her, she thought idly. The boy was already clinging to the Black family by his fingernails thanks to being sorted into Gryffindor. He was also hanging around with a few “blood traitors” and M words — she hated the term for mixed blood or Muggle-born wizards. Everyone else around her seemed to throw the slur easily.

“I was curious, are you going home for the holidays?” Sirius said, running a hand through his hair. It was getting a bit too shaggy, she thought.

“I suppose so.” She shrugged. Andromeda wasn’t looking forward to it but she needed to pack up somethings before coming back to Hogwarts. She had no intention of returning to her parent’s home after this.

“Have you ever not gone home? It’s just, my mate, James Potter, he invited back to his. I thought it’d be sort of interesting to do Christmas elsewhere. It’s not as if the family does anything than sit around and be miserable.”

“I went home each holiday. Mostly to see you, you brat.” She smiled at Sirius.

Sirius rolled his eyes, “What do you think would happen if I didn’t go home?” He asked her.

“Well, you can’t do much worse than be sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin for them. You might be better off at your mate’s place as it is.”

“Yes, surely they’d be glad to be rid of me, I’m sure.” Sirius cast his eyes to the side.

Andromeda felt horrible for her cousin. She wanted to tell him that she was going to be leaving soon and maybe she could join her at some point. But she had to keep it a secret. Plus, Sirius was smart, he’d figure everything out eventually. “Sirius, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He scoffed. “I’m going to put up some Muggle posters the next time I’m home.”

“You’re asking to be hexed.”

He shrugged. “Oh well. I’m going to go to James’ house, I think.” Sirius nodded. “I’ll see you round, Andi.”

“Bye, brat.” She ruffled his hair before he ran off towards the Great Hall.

Sirius was going to have a lot of heartache coming to him. She considered as she watched him disappear down the hall. He was too bold in his rebellion, where Andromeda was quiet. She hoped to the gods that Sirius would make it out okay.

“Dromeda, get lost?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Ted’s voice. “Bloody hell, give a girl a heart attack, why don’t you?” She held a hand over her heart as her boyfriend joined her sitting on the windowsill. “Sorry I got sidetracked.”

Ted Tonks was tall with fair hair and a bright smile. She first noticed him when he accidentally blew off Goyle’s eyebrows in a potions incident in fourth year. They didn’t speak until the middle of fifth year. But since then they hadn’t looked back. Andromeda did her best to keep her relationship as quiet as she could because she didn’t want to deal with her sisters or any of the Slytherins. She knew all of the shite she would get dating a Muggle-born Hufflepuff. Ted was the reason she was going to be running away. She was in love and because of who she loved, the family would disown her.

“Your little cousin, yeah, I saw him take off. What’d he do now? I heard he and his mates cost Gryffindor 200 points with the last stunt they pulled.”

“He was just asking for some sane Black advice.” She shrugged as Ted put his arm around her shoulders.

“Oh, and he was getting that from you?” Ted laughed in that special, deep belly laugh that made Andi wonder if he was going to pull a muscle sometimes. This man she loved was an idiot. But she loved him. “I’m joking. Ah, you’re excited to go home?”

She scoffed, “The only thing I’m excited about is making sure I get enough I can sell off for us to be okay until we can find some work.”

“Your parents won’t notice?”

“The Blacks have enough stuff lying around. They won’t notice as vase or candlestick go missing.”

“What about any types of protections?”

“We’ll figure it out.” She said confidently.

Ted was quiet for a while, just staring down the hallway. “We’ll be okay, right?”

“We’ll be fine, Ted.” She kissed him on the cheek. “You just have to listen to me because I’m normally right.”

“That you are.”

***

**June 1972.**

Andromeda and Ted were married the day after they finished at Hogwarts. They only invited a few friends and Uncle Alphard. She told her parents through a letter that she was now married and moving away. She didn’t tell them where to but she told them she would never be speaking to any of them again. Andromeda never got anything back from that. She had a feeling that would happen.

Their home was located just outside of a Muggle village north of London. It was small and quiet, just as Andromeda imagined. She was working for the Daily Prophet as an assistant to the editor. Ted was working for a private company as a curse breaker. He wanted to work in the Ministry but that was too dangerous for Muggle-borns for the time being. If there were not a war raging, life would have been perfectly quiet and quite perfect. Andi tried very hard not to think about the war but it crept in at moments she didn’t expect.

One of those moments was when she found out she was pregnant. She was at work and had fainted so she was sent to St. Mungo’s. They informed her that she was expecting. But as that was happening some wizards were rushed in with what looked like bad injuries. People were talking about attacks from Death Eaters. Andromeda left the hospital as soon as she could, wanting to be in the mostly safe space of her home. She made tea, checked the wards, and waited for Ted to come back home from work.

“Hi Dromeda,” Ted said as he found his wife at the kitchen table nursing her cup of tea. “What’s the matter?”

“I’m pregnant.” She said, with tears in her eyes.

Ted looked like he wanted to jump up and down for joy. But he hesitated, Andromeda was sure that was because of the look on her face. She was sure she looked like she had found out horrible news. But how could the news be horrible? The war was tearing everything apart.

“There’s a war on. I can’t be pregnant.” She said a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. We’ll protect the baby, no matter what.” He knelt down next to her. “They’re going to have a wonderful little life. They’re going to be so loved.” Ted grabbed her hands and kissed them. “No matter what, this baby is going to be happy and they’re going to make us so happy.”

Andromeda wished that she could feel the same way about it all. She was too pragmatic and thought far too much about everything. But she was going to do her best to make sure that her child was safe and happy. So, she needed to come up with a plan. That would be helpful.

***

**February 1973.**

Nymphadora Tonks was born happy and healthy on a warm day at the end of February. She had ten little fingers and ten little toes. She had the cutest nose and the chubbiest cheeks. Even though the labor was long, Andromeda was so happy. Ted was over the moon and couldn’t stop staring at his baby girl.

It was a quiet day news-wise as well. Andromeda hoped that meant good things for Nymphadora’s life.

***

**August 1976.**

Andromeda got word that Uncle Al died from his partner, Reese. He was a lovely bloke, who loved Alphard dearly. In his note, he asked Andromeda to find Sirius because he was unable to reach him. Alphard had left him all of his money. Andromeda hadn’t heard from her little cousin since she left Hogwarts. That day she gave him a big hug and one last ruffle to his shaggy hair before leaving. She hadn’t contacted him, in fear that she’d make the family more angry with him. But it seemed like she needed to get in touch with him now.

“So, where is Sirius?” Andromeda asked Nymphadora who just giggled and went into the living room. She looked down at the letter Reese had sent along and frowned. She wished she stayed in touch more with Alphard and Reese. Sirius as well because she was feeling rather lonely lately. Staying at home with her child was not as exciting as she hoped that it would be.

She could have waited until Sirius was back at school but that wouldn’t be for weeks now. That didn’t sound too good. Sirius deserved to know and deserved to get what had been left for him. Thinking about Sirius, he remembered that he was a good friend of the Potter’s. She couldn’t go to any Black home, but she could go to the Potter’s. They were distant relatives. If anything, the Potter boy might have known where Sirius was hiding out.

The next day she got Nymphadora dressed in her favorite shorts and shirt then apparated them to the Potter’s house. She had been there when she was a child for one reason or another. Probably some family function before the Blacks completely cut ties with the Potters. It looked just as she remembered, a larger home than her own but it was just as quaint.

As she made her way up the steps, holding Nymphadora’s hand she was met with Sirius smoking a cigarette. He had grown in the last five years, immensely. He looked like a young man now. Sirius was wearing jeans and a black Muggle band shirt. His black hair was far past his shoulders. He was also much sadder than she remembered, which hurt her heart. “Sirius.”

“Andromeda?” He furrowed his brow and stood up. He was nearly as tall as Ted now, which was mind-boggling. “What are you doing here? The Potter’s aren’t in if that’s who you need.”

“No, I came looking for you.” She shook her head. “Can we talk?”

“Ah, yeah, come inside. I've got the whole place to myself until the Potter’s come back next week.”

“That’s nice of them,” Andromeda commented as they headed inside.

“So, who’s the sprog? Your’s I assume.”

“Yes, this is Nymphadora. She’s three and is a metamorphmagus so don’t be surprised if she pulls any faces. She’s also a bit clumsy.”

“Neat,” Sirius said, walking them through the Potter’s house into the kitchen. “Tea?”

“Sure, ah, can I put Nymphadora just in the sitting room there? I bought some toys,” She held up her bag and eyed the room that was just across the hall.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll make the tea.”

Once Nym was squared away, Andromeda joined Sirius in the kitchen. She sat at the table where she could see her daughter. “So, ah, why do you want to see me? It can’t be Mummy and Father. I’m sure they already burned me off the tapestry. You were already burnt off so I’m not sure why they’d contact you.”

“Oh, well, Uncle Alphard passed away. His partner sent me a letter asking if I could find you because it seems like our dear uncle left you all of his money.”

Sirius’ eyes went wide, “What?”

“Yes,” She handed him the letter.

“Merlin,” He said, looking over the letter.

“What do you mean you’re burnt off the tapestry?”

“Let’s see, it all started when I was born a disappointment. Then I had the nerve to be a Gyriffindor. Then my best mate was James Potter and you know how the Blacks hate the Potters these days. Remus, he’s a werewolf with a muggle mum. I was in love with him. Then I fucked up that relationship when I told someone in our year — Snape, you know him? I told him that Remus was a werewolf because he had called Lily and Remus mudbloods. So I tried to get him killed, basically, but that was after mum sent me a howler about how horrible I am and she threatened to disown me. But I fucking ruined my relationship with Remus and my other mates. Peter and James just started talking to me again. I went home for the summer and I told Mummy and Father I was gay and how I disagreed with all of them on every single subject and that they were horrible people for backing Voldemort. I was hexed and kicked out on to the street. So, now I’m here.”

Andromeda wasn’t sure where to start with all of that information. She had forgotten that he cousin erred on the side of dramatic at times.

“Sorry, I needed to get that out there. I haven’t even really talked about it with James because we did start speaking once again.”

“You love Remus? He was the quiet one, with the scars?” She remembered the small, nearly silent boy that used to hang around with her cousin.

Sirius nodded, “He’s rather fit now and bloody amazing. But I fucked it up.”

“Well, grovel and beg for his friendship back. Be the best friend you can possibly be. Tell him the truth about why you did that. Then go from there. Are you sorry?”

“Yes, I was bloody stupid. I swear I don’t know how to act sometimes.”

“There you go then. Tell him just that.” Andromeda nodded.

Sirius smiled for the first time, “I missed your sane Black advice.”

“I missed you too, brat.” She sighed. “Tell me. You’re not getting yourself mixed up in this war, are you?”

“Andi, I can barely focus on school at the moment. I mean, I know what’s going on but… I don’t know what I can do about it.”

“Mmm,” She took a sip of her tea.

“Are you mixed up in the war?”

“No, I have a daughter to worry about. Ted and I are just keeping our heads down the best we can.” She shifted in her chair. “I worry about what is going to happen. Especially after being burnt by the family.”

“They’re all with Him, you know?” Sirius gritted his teeth.

“They’ve been with Him from the start, Sirius.” Andromeda shook her head. “Even if I didn’t love Ted, I would have left just as I did.”

***

**July 1978.**

Things were getting worse, not better. Attacks were picking up and there was sometimes battles being done right out in the open where Muggles could see. Andromeda continued her vigilance at home. She created new wards and perfected her protection spells. She wished she had work to do to keep her mind off of things but she couldn’t chance leaving her daughter with anyone else during such a time. She was getting rather good at knitting though.

She was knitting when she heard the crash and the cursing outside of her house. Grabbing her wand, she checked to see that Nymphadora was happily coloring still before she went to peer outside. To her surprise, Sirius and James Potter were running towards her front door. “What are you doing here?” She said, opening the door.

“I’m sorry, Andi, but you said if we ever needed anything…” Sirius frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, come on. Sit down and tell me what happened.” She said, gesturing to the sofa. Before they sat down, Nym came running.

“Ello, Dora!” Sirius happily greeted his little cousin with a hug. He picked her up and introduced her James.

After a few minutes, Andromeda looked to her daughter, “Nymphadora, could you go back to coloring? You can play with Sirius if he has time later.”

“Yes, mum.” She smiled and skipped away.

“So, what’s wrong?”

“We sort of had a run in with three Death Eaters.”

Andromeda sat down in the chair by the sofa, “They didn’t follow you, did they?”

“No, we took care of them. I promise. We were just closer to here than my place and Sirius’ is currently full of women.” James explained.

“What?”

“I offered my flat to Lily to have her hen party. We were on our way to the Potter’s for James’ Stag do.” Sirius laughed when he said stag, which was odd but Andi was too stuck on the fact Death Eaters chased them before they ended up at her house.

“How exactly did you take care of them?”

“I don’t know, we hexed them and then got out of there. But they weren’t following us.” Sirius reiterated.

“You’re positive.”

“Very.” He held a hand over his heart. “I wouldn’t have come here if I even had the slightest thought they were trailing us. We just needed to catch our breath before we died of heart attacks.”

“I do an excellent job to make sure that Nymphadora isn’t affected by this war.”

“I know.”

“And if you brought it with you…”

“I didn’t.”

They hadn’t brought the Death Eaters but it made Andromeda even more cautious of the outside world. Sirius was now clearly getting mixed up in it and she knew the rest of her family was all on the wrong side. She thought about picking up and moving to another country, as far away from the UK as she could. But Ted talked her down from that a few times. They were safe. Nothing was going to happen to them. It didn’t feel that way most nights.

***

**December 1979.**

Andromeda nearly felt her heart stop beating when she opened the door to find Regulus Black standing there. Sirius’ brother was a known Death Eater and favorite of Voldemort according to gossip. She hoped Nym would stay in the living room until she could get rid of him.

“Regulus, what do you want?” She hoped he wasn’t there to try to recruit her. She was a strong witch but she never used her talents to their full ability after Hogwarts. Andromeda thought that if things got desperate, someone in her family might come and make a plea to get her on their side.

“Can I come in?” He asked with a furrowed brow.

“You may not.” She leaned against the doorframe and shut the door as much as she could against her body. “What are you doing here, Regulus?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

Regulus was always following the straight Black line while his brother rebelled. He was not as brash and outright hateful as Bella so she always thought of him more like Cissy than anything else. But I had been years since she spoke to him. He was a man now, no longer a child. He looked harder than Sirius, even if that boy tried his best to look like a Muggle punk.

“The weather… The war, Andromeda.” He looked over his shoulder as if he was being watched.

“I want nothing to do with the war, Regulus. I don’t want to join your ranks or anyone else’s. I don’t want to aid anyone. I want to be left out of it all while everyone kills themselves. Ted and Nymphadora are at enough risk just being who they are.”

“Andromeda—“

“You need to leave, Regulus.”

“But I—”

She shut her door in his face and went to the living room where Ted and Dora were playing Gobstones. She hoped the war would end soon because she wasn’t sure how much her nerves could take.

***

**September 1980.**

Andromeda was looking at the apples at the village’s market when she noticed her sister standing just on the other side of the street. Cissy seemed as buttoned up and polished as she always did. She was 100% pureblood through and through. Andromeda bought her fruit then crossed the street, checking to see that her wand was easy to grab. “What are you doing here?”

“You’re looking well, sister.”

“Narcissa, what is it that you want? I have to get home.”

Cissy took a deep breath, “I had a son. Draco.”

“Congratulations,” Andi said, without any joy in her voice. “Is that all.”

“Just… if anything happens, Andi, can you make sure he’s okay.”

Andi clenched her jaw.

“Things aren’t going well and I worry that something’s going to happen to myself and Lucius.”

Of course, Cissy married that twat, Andromeda thought. He was just as much of a stuck up pureblood as the Black family. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, Narcissa, you always are.” Andromeda went to walk away but Narcissa grabbed her arm.

“Please, promise me.”

“I’m unsure why I have to clean up after your mess but yes, I’ll make sure the child is okay. Only because he’s a child and there’s hope for him not to turn out to be a completely horrible person like the rest of you.” Andromeda said before walking away.

***

**November 1981.**

On November 1st, Andromeda stood in her garden and took a deep breath. Life was new. Everything was starting fresh. She managed to keep Nymphadora safe all these years. Ted was all right. Never again would she have to live through the constant fear of someone hurting her husband or daughter.

“You okay, Dromeda?” Ted asked, joining her outside.

“Yes, just, taking in the moment.”

“Let’s go celebrate. Take Nymphadora out without having to worry. Come on.”

“Sure,” She smiled, turning around to go back inside. Life was good.

***

**September 1994.**

Andromeda picked up the book Lily had sent along to her. “Mum, what are you up to?” Dora called out as she came through the front door of the house.

“I’m just looking at Lily Potter’s book. She’s so talented.” She smiled, holding the book up as Dora when she joined her in the living room. She was sporting short purple hair now.

“Is this the one that Sirius keeps vanishing on Remus? Moony was complaining about it today during lunch.” Her daughter snorted a laugh, taking the book. She and Remus worked together at the wizarding primary school in London. He had been the Defense Against the Darks Arts Professor at Hogwarts for some time but once they got Elara and Saiph, Remus choose to stay home before returning to teach where the girls were. Dumbledore would no doubt ask him to come back to Hogwarts when the girls made their way there. “So, what, it’s some tell all about the war right?”

“It’s not a tell-all, it’s about what everyone went through.” Andromeda corrected her daughter. “Well, everyone Lily was close to that is. I doubt very much that we’re featured. Your father and I were far more concerned about your well being.” She said to her daughter.

“No one ever talks about it, you know?” Nym frowned. “You would think that all these people we knew who fought for their lives would talk about it.”

“It’s not always that easy, my darling.” She said. “Tea?”

“Yeah. Mum, if it happened again, would you fight?”

Andromeda frowned, stopping as she was heading towards the kitchen. “It wouldn’t happen again.”

“Mum, someone said person are saying saw the Dark Mark the other week and V— you know who was kept alive somehow.”

“You're silly, Nymphadora. I’m going to make that tea now.” Andromeda went to the kitchen to make the tea. The Muggle way because she found it calming. She didn’t know what would happen if it all started again. She didn’t want to think of it. She hoped that the Dark Mark was some hoax and those rumors that he was alive was just that, rumors. She had survived one time round without much pain, but she worried what might happen if they had to go through it all again.

Knowing her daughter, she’d fight. So she would have to again, do everything in her power to protect her.


End file.
